James "Jim" O'Tool

James "Jim" O'Tool, 69 of Carroll, died Monday, July 27, 2026 at The University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa. A Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, August 28, 2026 at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll. Officiating will be Pastor Timothy O'Tool. Casket Bearers will be Jeff O'Tool, Brian O'Tool, Phillip Holmes, Tony O'Tool, Joseph O'Tool, Samual O'Tool, Caleb O'Tool, and Peter O'Tool. Burial will be in the Carroll City Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, August 27, 2026 at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll. Additional visitation will be from 9:30-10:15 a.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026 prior to the funeral service. Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Jim's family at www.sharpfuneral.com. Jim was born James Gerard O’Tool on April 15, 1957. James after a favored uncle, Gerard for the Patron Saint of Mothers and difficult births. And Jim’s was one of the most difficult for his mother Rosina. On the delivery bed, she was told by the doctor that Jim probably was not going to make it. They had never seen a baby with his condition survive more than a few days. He survived weeks, then months, and eventually, 69 years. His birth defect had caused what is known as hydrocephalus, literally water in the head. The liquid trapped within was putting pressure on his brain and would eventually damage and destroy the organ. Rosina, who depended on prayer for strength, also demanded action. She insisted that something be done. Since the local doctors had no answer for her, Jim was taken to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital in Iowa City. At eighteen months, Jim had the experimental surgery that removed the type of tumor that had been the death of every life before his. Doctors expected him to survive but not develop mentally. Jim returned to the home in Carroll, Iowa, that he shared with his parents and 14 siblings, He lay still and unresponsive, whether in his crib or on a blanket out in the sun. For months, his brothers and sisters took turns carrying him like a doll to wherever they were. During the day, a radio belonging to his eldest brother, Arlen, lay next to him, playing popular country tunes of the day. Jim’s first response demonstrating consciousness was to cry one evening when Arlen removed the radio. Arlen would have to get himself a new radio, this one was to be Jim’s. And it was this radio that brought not only comfort, but obvious joy. The family was surprised to hear giggles coming from the crib one warm afternoon. Over the radio was the singsong melody of a silly tune of a saucy little Nash Rambler whose horn went beep-beep-beep. With each beep, Jim convulsed in laughter. As Jim grew, it became obvious that he was going to beat the odds. He attended kindergarten in the St. Joe basement in the fall of 1962. Seeing the progress he was making, the University Children’s Hospital was determined to offer him every opportunity to not only survive but thrive. The Hospital requested that he come to Iowa City for six week stints for therapy, working with specialists in muscle, bone and brain functions. They hoped it would help to give Jim more mobility. The hospital became his school; students at the University became his teachers; and other patients became his friends. Physical therapy at the hospital included walking with braces along parallel bars but consisted mainly of attempting to stretch Jim’s muscles and tendons. He spent many hours in braces that forced his legs straight. What was termed therapy was more like torture to Jim. Despite every effort, it came to a point that the doctors determined that Jim would make no more spectacular improvement in muscle development. He would not walk despite any amount of therapy. At the age of eleven, Jim returned home and began formal schooling at Carroll Public Elementary. He would graduate in May 1975. With support and encouragement of family, Jim attempted to be independent in everything he did. And he refused to be left behind. He insisted on rolling himself down the alley to the park with his siblings and neighbors. He begged his brothers, Frank and Ralph, to give him driving lessons. In August 1977, he was among the residents living in the first four cottages on the campus of New Hope Village in Carroll. Over the next 50 years, he lived either in that complex or with housemates located in residential neighborhoods. He became an active member of the New Hope chorus and worked in various jobs around the town in the little cottage industries that helped support New Hope Village residents. He has even been the face of New Hope several times when featured in newspaper articles and once served as its resident mayor. Jim enjoyed quite a bit of travel and adventure. Each summer in his younger days, he was able to attend Camp Sunnyside near Des Moines and Camp Courageous near Cascade, Iowa. It was there that he was able to climb trees and zipline through the forest. By 1982, Jim found the loving companionship of Jeannie Meyers. Jeannie, who also lived at New Hope Village residences loved to tease Jim and Jim gave as good as he received. Jim received a devastating shock when Jeannie passed away April 17, 2024. On June 27, 2026, while preparing to join his family to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of his sister JaneAnn and her husband Larry, Jim tipped backward in his wheelchair. He was.rushed to St. Anthony’s where a scan did not show a serious injury. He spent that afternoon with his extended family and returned to his cottage. The next day, family members stopped by to say goodbye as they prepared to leave town. He was a bit subdued but spoke to everyone. Two hours after they had left him, he was taken back to the emergency room. Jim spent the next three weeks in hospitals in Carroll and Des Moines attempting to recover from what the doctors did not perceive as a life threatening injury. Though there was internal bleeding, it had stabilized and he was responding well. But during that time, Jim slipped more and more into lethargy and sleep. Jim took his final trip to a University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City on July 16, 2026 around 65 years after his first. Once more he would undergo brain surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. Over the next two weeks, siblings and nieces would be by his bedside as he showed only occasional glimpses of consciousness. On July 27, in the company of his brother Joe, Jim slipped away. Jim is survived by siblings and in-laws Marvagene, Joseph and Jolene (Gieser), Jeanette, Mary and Tom Scott, Ralph and Janie (Remle), Elizabeth and Warren Mosler, Barbara and Marvin Karstens, Frank and Maggie (Wiedemeier), JaneAnn and Larry Podewils, Daniel and Merlyn (Macapobre), and scores of nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rosina and Wilmer; siblings Arlen, Richard, Clara, Daryl, and Stanley; in-laws Barbara (Vaughn), Larry Louis, Art Fiebelkorn and Fran Bolster; and special friend Jeannie Meyers.

James "Jim" O'Tool

April 15, 1957 - July 27, 2026